Box Score
MIDDLEBURY, VT – Middlebury field hockey opened its season with a NESCAC victory over Tufts, topping the Jumbos 5-2 on Kohn Field Saturday afternoon. The game matched the #3 in the nation Panthers against #14 Tufts.
The Panthers struck just 59 seconds into the game when Elinore O'Brien crossed to Anna Kenyon, who netted the first of her career. Middlebury made it a 2-0 game on a similar goal, as Lauren Greer found Katherine Theiss at the 8:24 mark.
Greer earned a goal of her own at 19:16, flicking a shot high into the cage after taking a feed from Madeleine Despins. Tufts threatened late in the half with three good scoring opportunities, but the Panthers held and took a 3-0 lead into the intermission.
Just 2:01 into the second half, Greer made it a 4-0 game, rifling in a shot off a Tufts player. The Jumbos answered with a chance from Chelsea Yogerst (San Diego, CA), but the Panther defense was able to clear the ball away as she nearly broke in alone. Theiss scored her second of the game at 42:42, converting a deflected pass from Greer to make it a 5-0 contest.
Tufts turned up the pressure down the stretch, nearly scoring on a penalty corner in the 53rd minute, as Madeline Brooks came up with a big save in the Panther net. The Jumbos broke through at the 64:50 mark, when Yogerst converted a crossing pass from Rachel Gerhardt (Worcester, MA). Yogerst struck again less than two minutes later, scoring on a penalty corner after another feed from Gerhardt.
Brooks finished with a pair of saves to earn the win, while Katie Stuntz (Mamaroneck, NY) made seven stops for Tufts.
The Panthers are right back at it on Sunday, hosting MIT at 1:00 pm. Tufts plays at Babson on Tuesday night at 6 pm.
Game box score
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Game release courtesy of Middlebury College
